Vote no and maintian our civic duty

Published October 16, 2012 at 10:02 am

To the Editor:

“Our civic duty.” Yes it is really our duty to vote – to be informed and vote. Each day on TV we see the citizens of other countries being killed in search of freedom and the right to vote. Indeed for our nation’s entire history our own military has given up their lives to protect that vote. But now, 21 states have, or are currently floating voter suppression measures. Seventeen states have already enacted very complex and cumbersome voter registration measures. Others are being held up in court. Some states are purging targeted voter groups from their voter registration rolls. Twenty-seven states in all, including Iowa, Wisconsin and our Minnesota, are facing dirty power grabs. They all have something in common. The various types of suppression are matching up with where republican office holders have those powers; Iowa – Sec. of State, Wisconsin – Governor to last year’s state legislature used new laws.

Here in Minnesota we are dealing with an attempt to suppress our voter rights by adding an amendment to our constitution. The republican controlled Minnesota legislature was unable to pass a voter suppression law as Governor Dayton would surely have vetoed it. (Please read our county auditor’s view in The Caledonia Argus Sept. 12, page 10. Great info about cost to our county and state and the difficulty in implementation, etc.)

Please remember, vote NO on the dangerous amendment Nov. 6 while you still can.